SunnyView skate park moves step closer to reality

Thanks to a $51,850 grant from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program's outdoor recreation account, the SunnyView skate park is a step closer to reality this morning.

The Sunnyside city parks department learned this week it will receive the grant, which will go a long way toward meeting the estimated construction costs of $103,750 for the project, said Jim Bridges of the Sunnyside city planning department.

The grant was awarded by the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation, Bridges said. The SunnyView Park project was one of 48 projects up for funding consideration, said Bridges.

Bridges said the fund will allow the city to proceed with the construction of the skate park, which has been in the planning stages for more than six years.

The skate park will consist of a 100'x100' concrete slab with five modular steel obstacles designed for low maintenance, durability and periodic movement in the field located on Yakima Valley Highway, located between Sunnyside and Grandview.

The funding for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program's outdoor recreation account comes from the sale of state general obligation bonds.

Bridges said the city will leverage local contributions of $51,900 for the park with the grant funds to implement the project. A date for construction of the park has not yet been set, he said.